Carob is a flowering evergreen tree in the bean family growing at maturity to 50 feet and a native to the Mediterranean region and Iran where, in its native environment, it is often found on rocky places near the sea shore. The Greek word keratonia or Carob translates to horn, referring to the pods, while silique refers to the narrow elongated seed capsules. The common name Saint John's Bread is derived from the flesh of the seedpods that were reputedly eaten by St. John while spend 40 days in the desert. The plant's edible pods are filled with a saccharine pulp and used as a chocolate substitute in cakes and drinks. They are rich in sugars and protein and can be eaten both green or dried. The seedpods are also used to make a flour that is free from sugar and starch. Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute. Harvesting can be done once the pods have turned a glossy brown. A long handled tool or stick can be used to knock the pods off the tree, while being careful not to damage the flowers that will be blooming at the same time. A plant of many uses, flour made from the seedpods is used to make face-packs while tannin is used to help remove harmful microbes from the body and fight against bacteria, virus and fungus. It is frost tender and in leaf all year. Carob flowers from August to October and individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. The genus name of the carob tree derives from the Greek for "fruit of the carob" . The epithet is Latin for "pod". Carob grows well in sandy and loamy soils. While it prefers well-drained soil, it can grow in nutritionally poor soil and in very alkaline soils. However, it does not tolerate shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought and strong winds. Carob can be pruned and trained as a ornamental shrub; however, it is not likely to produce many edible fruit. Its roots penetrate deep into the soil in order to locate moisture, therefore, allowing it to be planted in very arid locations. That make it a great choice for xeriscaping, a type of gardening that reduces the need for irrigation. Rows of Carob are used to create a windbreak surrounding orchids. Their dense form can serve as a buffer to reduce noise from the surrounding area. Saint John's Bread is a host plant for the larvae of the Wood leopard ( Zeuzera pyrina ) moth. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Surface roots can be aggressive. Small rodents can occasionally cause damage to the plant. Some cultivars can experience issues to scale and mildew. Larva of Ectomyelois ceratoniae (carob moth) may cause extensive damage to pods and seeds.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
24-60 feet
NC region
Coastal
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Dense; Erect; Rounded; Vase
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Four to eight inch broad leaves that are primarily pinnate and may or may not have a terminal leaflet. New foliage is a bronze color.
Flower color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Trees blossom in autumn and the flowers that form in clusters are small and numerous, spirally arranged along the inflorescence axis in catkin-like racemes borne on spurs from old wood and even on the trunk; they are pollinated by both wind and insects.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit value
Edible; Fragrant
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruits form on female plants as elongated, compressed, straight, or curved, and thickened at the sutures. The pods take a full year to develop and ripen, which tends to happen when the plant is flowering, making harvesting a delicate chore. Hard pods containing edible fibers.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
The bark has a rough texture.
Stem detail
Carob trees have a thick trunk with rough brown bark and sturdy branches.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southern Europe and North Africa.
Distribution
Western and Southern Africa, India, Central and South America.
Wildlife value
Male flowers emit a pungent odor that can attract bees, butterflies, flies and wasps.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals
Play value
Attracts Pollinators; Buffer; Easy to Grow; Edible fruit; Screening
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Seeds
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Legume
Edibility
Seed pods are fibrous eaten raw or ground into a powder and used in cakes, cookies, and drinks as a chocolate substitute. It has a high sugar content.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Seeds are used as a chocolate substitute in baking and as a coffee substitute.